Super Bowls that could have been for the Steelers but did not happen
By Eric Hassel
The Steelers rookie first-round pick leads the team to the AFC Championship game
In 2004, the Steelers selected Ben Roethlisberger in the first round. I think the plan was for him to sit and learn behind our veteran QB. That plan had to be scrapped, thus Roethlisberger was thrust into action.
After a 15-1 regular season, we were once again one game away from a Super Bowl appearance. Hosting the New England Patriots for the second in three years, we lost a very lopsided game, a game in which Roethlisberger threw 3 INTs.
The Patriots went on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. Had we played the Eagles, I think we would have won the game on the strength of our defense. It would have been the clash of Pennsylvania teams and we would have pulled it out to give us yet another Super Bowl victory.
After the 2004 season, we would go on to win two more Super Bowls but would lose one as well. It would not be until after the 2016 regular season that the Steelers would again play the AFC Championship game. Honestly, we had no chance in this game. The Patriots were just too much for us, beating us 17-36.
So had the Steelers beat the Patriots, we would have faced the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl, a game in which I do not believe we would have emerged victorious. The Falcons offense was just too overpowering that season. The Steeler’s defense would not have been able to stop them.
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So in our hypothetical discussion, the Steelers would have won 11 Super Bowls but would have lost 5 Super Bowls. As Steelers fans, would you rather have the 11 Super Bowl victories along with the 5 losses or have the reality of 6 Super Bowl victories with 2 losses? Sign me up for the 5 losses if it would have meant that the Steelers would be sitting pretty with 11 Super Bowl wins.